Day 2, Barcelona - The carnival that is Las Ramblas

The previous evening Herve had informed me that breakfast time would be signalled by playing music.

The previous evening Herve had informed me that breakfast time would besignalled by playing music.

"Don't need to rush out if you are in the shower, come after you arefinished."

I guess that instruction must have been added after a few instances ofdripping guests in their towels at the breakfast table!

At breakfast I meet Nikita. What? Two Gujju girls in one B&B in Barcelonaat the same time? What are the chances? Fat chance! Nikita was a guy fromUkraine, in Barcelona, to soak in the art scene. Over a breakfast of yummyfreshly-baked organic bread, Nikita and I discussed our plans for the day.He was off to Figueras, a town just outside Barcelona known for its Dalimuseum, I was taking on Montjuic and Las Ramblas.

Park Montjuic is a hilltop on one end of Barcelona. The bus dropped meoff at the point from where one can either make their way to the top byfoot or take the cable car. Unless you are looking to burn up some seriousbreakfast calories, I suggest the cable car. As the cable car started itsascent, the spectacular panorama of city below slowly unfolded before me.The summit is crowned with a fort that has played an important role inmost of the wars and uprisings in the region. Today, it rests peaceful,the cold cannons pointing towards the sea in salute. I make my way downby the winding path through the botanical gardens.

Next destination - Las Ramblas, the most popular street in Spain. Spanishpoet, Federico Lorca, described it as "the only street in the worldI wish would never end." Most would concur. Las Ramblas is a pedestrianstreet that stretches across the centre of the city. As it is probablythe most popular tourist destination in Barcelona, the numerous souvenirshops selling 'I Love Barcelona' mingle-mangle is expected. There are portraitartists with their easels set up amidst the milling crowds, flower shops,candy shops, artisans selling handicrafts, cafes and tapas bars advertisingthe dish of the day, ice-cream stands, street performers. A street? Morelike a carnival!

One of the most interesting attractions just off Las Ramblas is the Mercatde la Boqueria. A farmer's market, it is a maze to 500 stalls includinga few tapas bars. Each stall sells dozens of varieties of one products.So, there is the olive stall with olives of various sizes and colours,stuffed, pitted, pickled, tapenaded...the nuts stalls with piles of nuts,roasted, salted, sugared, honeyed, and whatnot...home-produced chocolatestalls, bread stalls, meat and fish stalls. The mix of sights and smellsis a desirable assault on the senses.

At the end of Las Ramblas, I turned back and looked down the street I hadspent the last few hours walking up. If only someone would find a way tobottle some of the Ramblas, essence...now that would be a stall that woulddo a lot of business.

Several lanes lead off from Las Ramblas into Ciutat Vella or Old Town.The best way to explore this section of the city is to let yourself getlost in the alleys and then find yourself in front of an old building orchurch or in one of the several wide plazas. Museum rats will find thePicasso Museum and the City Museum an interesting visit. It is also a greatspot for shoppers as many of the old buildings house local and internationaldesigner stores. Barcelona's Old Town is abuzz with energy and all theaction seems to gravitate here. Every alleyway I turned into threw up somethinginteresting be it a shop called 'PIMP - secondhand and underground wear'or a street performer in Michael Jackson's avataar!

Ended the day with a coffee in a street-side cafe watching Barcelona goby.

Trivia I learned at breakfast:

'Bombay Mix' in Barcelona is a snack ofdifferent kinds of spicy fried chips. In Ukraine however, 'Bombay Mix'is a marijuana-like drug cocktail!